Regularities of latex filtration through microfiltration membranes

Filtration of suspensions of emulsifier-free monodisperse polystyrene latexes with particle sizes of 0.25, 0.3, and 0.4 μm through acetylcellulose microfilters is studied as depending on the composition of liquid phases, the rate and time of filtration, and the particle-to-pore size ratios. The effect of particle-membrane interactions, which are governed by the electrostatic repulsion and molecular attraction forces, on particle rejection by membranes is considered. It is shown that, when analyzing the mechanism for the rejection, it is necessary to take into account the electrophoretic motion of particles in the field of the streaming potential arising in the course of suspension filtration.